Shades of Gray
by Ohsweeeet
Summary: Degrassi was so used to the sharp hues of black and white. As if it were just two choices, and those choices were to taken, or no choices at all. However with such controversy-Degrassi is beginning to see Shades of Gray. Beginning to fall apart.
1. Prologue: The Morning

_Shades of Gray_

The world tries to sharpen the simplest of colors; black and white. Trying to sell them off to the idea of right and wrong. As if there was no middle ground. As if you were up—in the air, floating in what seems to be safe, or down under—as if you can never get up. For if we're organized and settled the world would be safe. Safe of the middle ground, shades of gray. Safe of stepping between good and bad. As if shades of gray is dangerous.

However in Degrassi, shades of gray is all they have.

Prologue:  
- The morning

Almost as if in a daze, Claire sat up from her bed. The sun had barely rose much less had a ray of light passing through the sheet of clouds above the Edward's residence. She smoothed out her loosely worn t-shirt and sighed. The cold had escaped through the cracks of her window and into her room. Getting up as if it were nothing, as if she hadn't just awakened was such ease to her.

Claire Edwards lived by such routine, to move by it would be a sin to her. For she would wake up before the sun rose, and sleep before a new day could start. She would go to school with books weighing heavy on her back and an inquisitive mind determined to learn. With the shining cross around her neck, and the bible by her bedside—she was as pure as much as her fifteen year old mind would allow her to be. A mind with such control and detailed sentences, sentences strung with an advanced words. She was proud to be this…this version of a teenager. To be pure.

Claire glanced out her window, the clouds had been a discouraging factor to go to school. However with her mind aside she turned to her clock on the wall, 6:23 AM is read, and with seven minutes to spare, she grabbed her towel and headed to the bathroom—Claire Edwards was on schedule.

**ooooooooo**

The bathroom door cracked open, steam flowing out of the room and into the hallway of the second floor of the Torres residence. Drew's skin itself was hot—steam flowing off of his body, however evaporating into the cold air of his home. Instantly he began to find his way back into his room. The lack of light did not play to his favor. His fingertips lingered off the wall, the other hand holding onto his towel and his feet following with caution. He was never good with the dark. With a towel loosely hanging just below his hips, he tip toed his way through the hallway of his home, passing his parents room, and passing Adam's room—in which he heard the movement of his sibling. At the end of the hallway he met his room. Skin to wood, he pushed opened his door.

Quickly he turned on the light and closed the door behind him. With slight hope he looked out his window, with faith in the sun to light up his neighborhood. He sighed at the seemingly thickening clouds. Cold weather on a late September day—the promise of a tough football practice awaited him. He shut his blinds and began to make way to his bed, his football uniform laid perfectly before him. With the drop of his towel he was ready to get dressed and start the day.

**oooooo**

Eye lashes batted against each other as a sweep of mascara lifted from the eyes of Holly J. Green eyes outlined and cheeks rosy. She hadn't flinched an inch as she prepared for another day at school—second in command, however she felt as if she was running Degrassi all on her own. Thoughts of her classmate first in command flashed throughout her mind, however with the purse of her lips and a closer view to the mirror began to close those thoughts away. For Holly J had wired that she was born alone, works alone, and dies alone. Regardless of the push of thoughts against her heavy walls in her mind, she left her morning to be all about her and her surroundings. Sometimes she feared that her surroundings would become her most important priority. She was afraid she wouldn't put herself first at some point in her life. With everything she had in her eighteen year old body—she fought against that.

Holly J sighed and ran her fingers through her hair, front first with the intention to give her hair some volume. Thoughts began to shed as she worked on her appearance. She took a step back from her mirror and rested her hands on her hips. A black and white striped pencil skirt hugging her lower body, and a red v-neck t-shirt tucked inside. With the swift motion of slipping her feet into her heels she was five inches higher. She rolled her shoulders back and blinked—the slight impression that she should change.

"Holly J," the faint tapping against a door, "Are you ready?"

Her mind tore away from her appearance and back onto the books piled up on her computer table. Quickly she grabbed them, her bag, and opened the door. Face to face with her mother.

"Do you need help with those boo-."

"I got it Mom."

And with that the Saint Claire's stepped out of their apartment and into the building's parking lot. Into the car. The Monday morning counting down to start as soon as the key to the ignition was inserted and the engine vibrating to life.

**ooooo**

"Eli?" A frustrated voice, "Are you even out your house yet?"

Eli gripped the hold of his phone as he fumbled for his keys in his jeans. He had not only woken up late, he had almost lost his keys that morning. He wasn't working on his usual slow paced movement. This morning he had rushed his way out of the shower, into his usual dark fitted jeans and leather jacket. He took an extra couple of minutes to fix the way in which his hair would fall—although, he normally hadn't paid attention of his hair. However, he hadn't caught much sleep the night prior for he had been reading an assignment for his English class. To say the least, he was engulfed in the workings of Claire Edwards.

"Just meet me at the dot okay, Claire?" He spoke into the phone and pressed the End button with his thumb, jamming his car keys into the ignition.

The key turned in Eli's Hearse, the engine purring awake and purring back to sleep. Gripping the steering wheel he turned the key once again, for the third time that morning. He could feel his eyebrows knit in frustration as he noticed it was 7:45 and he still hadn't moved from the Goldsworthy driveway. Never had it mattered to him to leae his house before eight in the morning, even for school, however he seemed to be living underneath Claire's routine. He felt himself grow more and more frustrated as his phone annoyingly rang from his messenger bag in the passenger seat. Once more he turned the key and the engine had lively growled. With a smirk he pulled down the brakes, pushed the gears into drive, and lightly rested his foot on the gas pedal. And with that the car began to move towards school.


	2. One: Shiver

Authors Note: So this Fan Fiction revolves around everyone at Degrassi; however it has a strong back bone of Eli / Claire relations & Other character's relationship as well. I used to be a hardcore Degrassi fan, then the change of characters changed my view. However I've been watching it reccently, and Degrassi has many new controversial subjects, I found myself getting sucked in.

Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter One**  
_Shiver_

"And then," The grip on the Dot's foam coffee cup had begun to tighten as Sav Bhandari sat at the counter that Monday morning. He took a quick sip before looking at his younger sister, then Peter. "Then she just walked off, after I offered her a cup of coffee. I mean—What's that about? Who does she think she is?"

"Holly J turning down free coffee, that's heartbreaking Sav," Ali shrugged as she glanced at her cell phone. Sav shrugged off the lack of attention leaking through the seemingly one way conversation.

"So what if she's Holly J, you know? So what if she's mean half of the time, hard working, and only talks to me during student council," Sav set his cup down with force, drops of coffee pouring out of the sides, "I'm President, she's just upset she isn't—Right guys?"

"Yeah man," Peter wiped coffee with a rag and threw it over his shoulder. He stared off as students began to walk towards the High School not too far away, swiftly he ran his fingers through his dirty blonde hair and spoke without much need to stare back at his friend. The conversation had been spoken of the weekend prior to that morning, "You're the nicest guy I know—I don't get why she hasn't warmed up to you just yet. The President thing probably still has her riled up."

"I am? Thanks Man," Sav looked back down at his coffee and took one last swig before motioning for Peter to throw it away. The silence only indicated the conversation was at a stop for the first time after two days. The constant clicking of Ali's cell phone buttons had been the only noise aside from the murmur's of other customers in the Café. He shook his head to rid the thoughts of his Vice President. Picking up his head he noticed the frustration beginning to show in Ali's face, lines of annoyance seeping through her skin. He waited for Peter to attend to other customers before prying into Ali's personal life.

"I've been going off this whole weekend," Sav rested his palm over his face, "And you've been texting this whole weekend. Not much of a single word. What's up with that Ali?"

"I'm just listening to you, big brother," she put a slight emphasis on the '_brother_'.

"All weekend, with nothing to say?"

With a shrug she replied, "It's just its nothing new to me. You try to befriend Holly J, she rejects you. There's that one possible day she might seem human and engage in a conversation with you, and then you go off for weeks on that one convo. It's nothing new to me Sav."

Sav pursed his lips and ran his tongue over the roof of his teeth. "Well I guess you're right."

"Guess?" She put down her phone on the counter, eyes piercing into his.

"Whatever, you're right. Holly J gets under my skin."

"Good to hear I'm right," she smirked.

"Enough about me," he spun his stool to face her completely, "How's my favorite little sister?"

"You're only little sister."

"But still my favorite."

With the tug at the corners of his lips and teeth exposed, Ali leaned towards her brother and spoke fluently about her weekend. Peter glanced towards the two Bhandari's and smiled slightly. It was a moment, he knew not to interfere with, even with Ali's voice loud and clear—he blocked it out as he waited tables.

**oooooo**

A pair of blue eyes moved slowly from left to right as Claire read from a composition notebook. The handwriting inside, though quite sloppy, had strung together words Claire would've never thought out. Sentences that conveyed such emotions, she found herself questioning her own reality. However with a deep breath in she was back in reality. Sitting, waiting, for Eli Goldsworthy—the cold playing at her cheeks, creating her fair skin to turn a slight shade of pink. She licked her lips and let her eyes wander. Behind her, through the glass windows of The Dot, she could see Ali and Sav Bhandari chatting away. Other fellow classmates lounging about inside the Café. It wasn't almost a little strange at the lack of students around.

"Looking for me?" A voice smoothed into her right ear. She spun back around, taken back at the brunette before her. Hair falling over a fair skinned face, skimming just about his dusty green eyes. His lips tugged upwards with the smallest, but surely effective, smirk. Green meeting blue, Claire pulled her body inches further than Eli's. The smirk of his only growing larger.

"My car wouldn't start," he shrugged and took a seat in front of her. His careless vibe slightly aggravated Claire, however she masked it with a faint smile.

"It's fine." She separated a cup of coffee from the other and slid it across the small round table and into Eli's hands.

"I see you still carry around my notebook," he smiled, "How's my baby?"

"Your work is pretty good Eli," she replied, "It's really good Eli. I'm not just saying that."

"Oh, you're too good to me, Claire."

"If only you were more serious, and put these rich emotions into something a little bit more relevant." She took a sip of her coffee and slid his book across the table, "Like a story of some sorts."

"You're kidding me, Claire." Eli opened his book and flipped the pages, black in organized into words. "You couldn't just leave it as _pretty good work_."

"You're too smug for just a compliment." She said with the purse of her lips. "I need to resize your ego every now and then." Her head turned towards the direction of the school, her right side of her face exposed—freckles, the skin of her neck, her collarbone—Eli took a breath before replying.

"Like I said," he leaned forward, catching her eyes once again, "You're too good to me."

She shrugged off his stare and continued to drink from her cup. Her lips lingered off the tip of her cup just for a moment before settling it down. He watched her every move as she licked her lips. He felt himself grow slowly interested in what her lips would do in the next thirty seconds. Claire felt his stare growing and turned to him, eyes bewildered.

"What?" Her cheeks grew a shade darker, "Do…I have something on my face?"

He sat there, words not processing through his brain.

"Eli?" Claire readjusted her jacket and took a quick glance over her white t-shirt.

"You're face is fine, Claire," he said reassuringly, "It's perfect."

Her cheeks heated as her eyes flew lightly away from him. The two sat, eyes meeting and leaving each other, ever so naturally.


	3. Two: Hide Out

Authors Note: Ahh this is kind of bland , I particularly didn't like this post. I've been thinking of making this just Eli / Clare - but no no no. Lol.

Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter Two**  
_Hide out_

_'Push harder…Work harder…Be stronger…Be better…'_

Riley gritted his teeth as he worked his way through football practice, pushing through the leather made up guards out on the field. He mentally muttered words to keep his focus on the goal. With his shoulders he blocked the imaginary running men towards him. He roughly cradled a football in his arms with such a focused and determined mind, it was almost as if he was already in the game. He breathed in and out as he got closer and closer to the far end of the field, just yards away from Zane. He pulled his arm back and thrust forward with such force, he was almost afraid Zane's body wouldn't be quick enough to catch the football. However—as always, Zane had proved to be perfectly fit enough to grab the ball and run a few meters, straight into a touchdown. Pride exuded Riley's pores.

"Yeah, Zane!" He cheered, a smile forming as Zane reacted in a smile.

"Alright, guys," Coach Armstrong walked into the middle of the field, his clipboard underneath his arm, "Bring it in."

"Nice throw Riley."

"Good catch Zane."

"Who knew this little guy could handle it."

"He handles dicks in his ass," Owen spoke so loosely, "He could handle a catch."

Riley and Zane shared a brief glance, before ignoring the loose gay joke rising to the surface. For it to affect Zane, wasn't something new. However Riley's refusal to admit being gay to his peers hits a different spot than it would Zane. A spot that Owen's gay jokes hadn't intended on hurting. Regardless of the jokes targeted to Zane or himself, he ignored the thoughts as Coach began speaking.

"If we play like that Friday, we definitely have the win in the bag," Coach said rather proudly, "Just try not to injure yourselves along this week, okay guys?—Do I make myself clear? Keep up the hard work and stay focused."

The Degrassi Football team muttered in response.

"Push harder," Armstrong pointed at several team members to answer.

"Work harder."

"Be stronger," Riley said, voice clear and strong.

"Be better," Zane said—eyes on Riley.

"Alright, get cleaned up—first period is in twenty minutes."

The team scrambled to the locker rooms, Owen managing the team's attention with his jokes. Like lemmings, they listened laughed and followed. Riley kept to himself in the back, falsely tying his shoes as he waited for Zane to come along. He bit his lip as Zane moved his way closer. Riley could feel himself growing antsy, for all he wanted was to be alone with Zane. All he wanted was to be with Zane.

* * *

"First period is in twenty minutes KC."

A flushed faced Jenna Middleton found herself on the side of The Dot, back against the wall. She bit her lip in slight pleasure as KC kissed her neck, slightly tugging at her skin. Though they had spent the weekend together—it was as if they hadn't seen each other for days. He held her tightly with one arm around her waist, the other arm sliding up her chest, fingertips grazing the skin underneath her sweater. It was a treat to be this close to her, and he took it whenever he could.

"Twenty minutes we can be together," KC smirked against her skin.

"KC, I have a Spanish test first period, I should be studying."

"Let me help you." He flicked his tongue against her jaw line, a pleasant feeling running down her spine. "Hola."

She giggled in reaction. However it hadn't completely overshadowed her slight need to get to school. To be away, for just a second, from KC.

"KC," she said his name in a whisper as he lowered his head, further to her chest. Her head turned to the right, eyes on the sidewalk and walkers. She closed her eyes briefly, beginning to give in to the moment. As she slowly opened her eyes, she watched as Eli and Clare passed The Dot. His wrapped around her shoulder, the other hand reading from a small book. Jealously coursed, slowly but surely, through Jenna's blood. She breathed and closed her eyes once again.

* * *

"Adam?" Drew nudged his brother. Eyes opening.

"Oh Sorry, what were you saying?" Adam spoke as he and Drew walked towards the school. Students passing them as they began to walk a bit slower.

"I asked if you were okay," Drew said in a soft tone. "Were you listening?"

"No, not really," Adam replied, bluntly.

"That's just," Drew rolled his eyes, "That's just great."

Adam sighed. "Yes, I'm fine. Do you have to ask that every five seconds?"

"With you, yes."

Adam walked forward ignoring Drew's statement. Although it was at Drew's best interest to keep Adam safe, and to make sure Adam was comfortable, it was not making Adam any more better. To ask him constantly of his mood had made him feel special. It made him feel not normal. All he wanted was to be normal. If it meant to be left alone—Adam is going to take it.

"Forget you then," Drew shoved passed Adam, his anger steaming from his ears. This was easily looked over by Adam, for Drew's temper would cool by lunch time. Regardless of their social level Drew and Adam were all each other had to a best friend. And this was what reassured things would be okay. With a breath he caught up to his brother and continued walking together.


End file.
